Imagine finding out you’ve been implicated in a crime years after the fact. That’s what happened to Cassandra Hult after police discovered key evidence in a McDonald’s cup that led to her arrest for the murder of Jose Santiago.
Hult, facing charges of reckless first-degree homicide, was linked to the death of Santiago, a man from Milwaukee who was found dead in his car with a gunshot wound to his back in March 2020.
A jogger, alarmed by Santiago’s unresponsive state, alerted the authorities after spotting his parked car near St. Adalbert Cemetery for two consecutive days.
When police searched the vehicle, they found a McDonald’s receipt, two cups from the fast-food chain, and a spent .380 casing. Forensic tests conducted on the cups revealed fingerprints and DNA belonging to both Santiago and Hult.
According to records, Hult had a tumultuous relationship with her husband, leading to a confrontation on the day of the incident over text messages from another woman found on his phone.
Further investigations revealed inconsistencies in Hult’s story, with no mention of the McDonald’s visit. Cell tower data placed her in the vicinity of the crime scene around the time of the incident.
Hult fled the state post-murder and confessed to multiple individuals, one of whom she was in a relationship with, admitting her involvement in Santiago’s death. Witnesses testified to her confessions, detailing chilling encounters with her in Las Vegas and Arizona.
Arrested in May, Hult awaits her court appearance on July 10th. Facing a charge of reckless first-degree homicide with a deadly weapon enhancement, she could face severe consequences if convicted.